Come on, third base!
All right, you're up next, center field!
Yes, sir!
Don't just stand there!
Throw it back home!
Looks like we still need one more outfielder.
We need Miya, Iwai, and one more person.
Our arsenal is indeed running short.
That's exactly why we need to practice!
It's the bottom of the ninth,
Seishu trails by a run
with two outs and runners on first and second,
with their clean-up batter, Yuhei Azuma at the plate.
And Taguchi, the catcher, is standing up here.
If they intentionally walk here, it means they'll be putting a possible game winning runner on second.
But will they actually pitch against Azuma, who's hit a solo home run and had an RBI double today?
Mitsuru Adachi
（Serialized in Shogakukan's 「Weekly Shonen Sunday」）
Created by
Toshihiro Nakazawa
Nobumasa Sawabe
Planning
Masato Hayashi
Rei Anami (TV TOKYO)
Shin'ichirou Tsuzuki
Planning Assistance
Toshisato Okuno Shin Omura Takenori Ichihara
Masato Hayashi
Supervisors
Original Planning Assistance
Michihiro Tsuchiya
Series Composition
Yuji Kondo
Main Character Design
Maho Takahashi
Tomoyuki Matsumoto
Koichi Imano
Art Design
Subcharacter Design
Prop Design
Kayoko Ono
Miki Tsubouchi
Hiromi Komine
Yutaka Kuramoto
Art Director
Color Design
Photography Director
Editing
Nobuhide Tanaka Toshiyuki Kuroiwa
Kotaro Nakagawa
Takeshi Takadera
HALF H・P STUDIO
Music Producer
Music
Sound Director
Sound Production
「Summer Rain」
Lyrics／Composition: Kentaro Kobuchi
Arrangement: Kobukuro
Kobukuro
（Warner Music Japan）
Opening Theme
Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment
TV-TOKYO Music
Warner Music Japan
Music Assistance
Ryosuke Sakurai
Animation Producer
Animation Production
Shunji Aoki Naohiko Furuchi
Producers
Osamu Sekita
Director
Shogakukan Shueisha Production
Production Studio
SUBTITLED BY ANBU
Ball four!
Seishu Academy's main threat and clean-up hitter, Azuma,
has now loaded the bases with his third intentional walk of the day.
Kicchouji's bench will now try their luck against Kubo, who has no hits today.
Sub him out for Miki, Coach.
This guy hasn't had a good at-bat today.
And the ball's been popped up;
it's just an ordinary everyday fly ball.
And that spells the end for Seishu Academy.
Game over, with the score at 5-4.
Kicchouji High has come out as winners in this close game.
Seishu Academy's road to the Koshien has been stopped here.
It's all good, don't worry!
We placed in the top sixteen with a team composed mostly of tenth graders...
in a tournament with over a hundred schools competing.
We did awesome!
We'll go even further next year, I'm sure!
Won't we, pretty girl?
No!
But the uniforms will have to be a little sexier if we actually want to make it to the Koshien.
Just kidding!
That is one out-of-date pervert.
Does he not realize that people take those kind of jokes seriously now?
Jesus!
What's wrong, Aoba?
Oh...
I just thought that he really reminds me of someone I know.
Oh, I know.
He's just like your dad, Aoba!
Oh, I see.
You have to go to practice now, right, Aoba?
We're going to drop by the pool before heading home.
Yeah, see you guys.
A signed ball.
Stop, thief!
Somebody catch that guy!
Thanks a lot.
You really saved me.
But judging by that fastball, you're not just any regular girl, are you?
Oh no, I'm just a regular girl.
Did you hurt your leg when you tripped just now?
No, it's an old injury.
It's gotten a lot better, though,
thanks to the many years of rehab.
I have no problems walking or doing everyday tasks now.
As long as I'm not running away from women or loan sharks, or chasing after thieves, that is.
You were cheering on Seishu's side of the field just now, right?
Are you an alumni?
Nope.
My little brother's on the baseball team.
Your little brother?
Yeah.
He's the clean-up hitter and first baseman.
Azuma...
I'll drive you home as a token of my appreciation.
Come on, hop in.
I guess if I had to choose,
I'd say you remind me more of my father—
Ichiyo!
Aoba?
Why are you in someone's car?
Well a bunch of things happened, and he ended up driving me back.
Thank you for taking care of my siste—
I didn't expect to see you here.
Just leave me alone.
I don't care what kind,
I just really want to slug some balls right now.
Too bad about today's game.
They intentionally walked you on three consecutive at-bats in the end.
It's no wonder you're all stressed out.
I'm used to it.
If it's just people walking me, that is.
Brothers, huh?
Tsukishima residence.
It's for you, Ao.
Who is it?
Some guy named Nakano.
Nakano?
Hello?
Oh, from the class next door.
Oh yeah.
Oh no, I'm fine.
Yes, I'm sure about it.
Have a nice day, then.
Another guy asking you out on a date?
Geez,
why are there always more of these oafs calling me during summer break?
I noticed that a lot of guys have been calling you,
but are you really sure that there isn't at least one guy you wouldn't mind going out with?
And that is all the news we have from the pairing lottery for the Summer Koshien Tournament.
Wait a minute,
who's the team from Osaka going to play?
Don't you think it's about time you start taking an interest in the opposite sex?
I mean, you don't have anything to do today or tomorrow, right?
Shut up!
Oh yeah,
speaking of taking an interest in the opposite sex, that guy's here again.
That guy?
Oh, I see.
That means you're not really seeing anyone right now, am I right?
Weren't we just talking about the weather?
Oh, yeah, of course.
And so,
if you ever need any vegetables or fruits delivered, please call this number.
I'll fly over here before you can even blink.
Always bringing you the best products at the most competitive prices,
we're Azuma's Vegetables and Fruits.
But isn't your store kind of far from here?
This sort of distance is nothing that love can't overcome!
Excuse me?
But I must say, I do wonder how things will turn out in the end;
Japan's experiencing a reduced birth rate and population aging,
while the pension and employment problems are still unresolved.
What's his score?
What's that score for?
Oh, don't worry about it.
We've been rating guys like this for the time being.
Guys that have approached Ichiyo, that is.
That's a tricky score.
Six out of ten, huh?
It's out of a hundred.
Oh yeah,
Momiji wants to go to the pool, so I'm going with her, Ichiyo.
To the pool, huh?
That's nice.
What kind of swimsuit are you wearing?
A pink one-piece!
I wasn't asking about you, young lady.
Don't stay out too late, okay?
Okay.
If you have time to keep your little sister company,
why can't you accompany some miserable guy somewhere instead?
Shut up!
The three of you sure do get along, don't you?
No, we're actually a four-leafed clover.
Ah, I see.
That means you're not really seeing anyone right now, am I right?
Welc—
Whoa, it's hot.
Long time no see, Ko.
When did you get back from training?
Last night.
I've been wanting to eat your Napolitan the entire time I was there.
Now that you're all tanned, you're actually starting to look like a high school baseball player.
A high school baseball player?
So you play baseball, too?
Who is this guy?
Is he your boyfriend, Ichiyo?
Please put his Napolitan on my check.
Oh, I see.
Actually, my little brother plays baseball as well.
Your little brother?
Have you heard of Seishu Academy?
Unfortunately, they only managed to place in the top sixteen this year.
Who is he?
He's from the grocery store.
You're late, Yuhei.
Let me introduce you guys.
This is...
What was your name again?
Ko Kitamura.
He's the only son from the sports equipment store.
He's a tenth grader on the fertilizer team.
Fertilizer?
You're going back home, right?
Let's get going.
I need to be back in the dorms by tomorrow morning.
Fine, fine.
And so, Ichiyo,
if you're ever feeling lonely, sad, or have a lot on your mind,
just give me a call on my cell phone.
I'll be here before you can even blink.
See you!
They're brothers?
Looks like it.
They don't look alike.
Aoba forgot to take her bag with her change of clothes.
Where did she go?
To the pool.
Can you take this to her when you're done eating that, Ko?
Why me?
Aoba delivered your change of clothes to your training place when you forgot them, remember?
I guess you're right.
So you two knew each other, huh?
Who'd have known that you guys were playing on the same team!
And are both tenth graders, at that!
I guess you couldn't really say that we're playing on the same team.
We have different coaches, at least.
I'd want to be smiling,
regardless of whether I win or lose.
That's what baseball's all about, right?
Come, hurry!
Wait up!
I'm not going to do it!
Hurry!
Hey, Kitamura.
What are you doing here?
Can't you tell?
I'm in the pool, so I must be swimming, right?
By yourself?
Shut up.
I asked Tsukishima to come with me...
but things are a little too busy at the store for her to come out.
I mean she must have been really busy if she had to say "no" to me, right?
See you, then.
You came by yourself, too, didn't you?
You want to swim together?
Let's swim together!
Hey there, pretty girl, are you by yourself?
Yeah yeah, she's not by herself but here with someone else,
so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't hit on her.
Geez.
What's up with all these pesky flies that have been gathering around here.
You shouldn't compare someone to something dirty like that.
I'm going to get out and rest for a bit, okay?
Sure.
So what's your type?
Let's see.
I do like those string bikinis...
My bag, please.
Do I get a "thanks"?
Now that I think about it, I didn't get one either.
Even after I went all the way to your training place to bring your luggage to you.
Tsukishima!
What a coincidence!
Looks like my horoscope was on the mark when it told me today's lucky word was "pool"!
Um..
It's me!
Seishu Academy High School Boxing Team's twelfth grade boxer Narita!
I'm sure you've gotten my love letters many times.
A-Ah.
Didn't I reject you each time?
Yeah, but it's been three months since you last did,
so I figured I'd rechallenge.
No wonder this guy's on the boxing team; he's tough as nails.
Lend me some change, Aoba.
I'm kind of thirsty.
Aoba?
Who are you supposed to be?
I'm Ko Kitamura, a tenth grader on Seishu Academy High School Baseball Team, Senpai.
You're a tenth grader from the baseball team?
I went to watch them play at the qualifiers, but I don't remember seeing a Kitamura.
What are you, a sub?
Please call me "fertilizer"...
I couldn't care less about that!
What's your relationship to Aoba Tsukishima?
I'll leave that to your imagination.
He's just a childhood friend who lives close to me.
Really?
No, no.
Childhood friends are only a stone's throw away from being lovers!
You may say he's "just" a friend, but isn't he actually...
Yes, I'm actually—
Whoa.
Why would I even give you change?
You still haven't paid me back for the bus fare from a while back.
Oh, I didn't?
I'll put it together with all the other stuff I owe you for and give it to you on New Year's, okay?
You idiot!
Do you realize how far New Year's is from now?
You look really good in that swimsuit.
Stop changing the topic!
Stop it!
Damn it, damn it!
I want to argue like that with Tsukishima, too!
Um... Senpai?
You said your name was Kitamura, right?
Um, yes.
You may have introduced yourself as her childhood friend, but to me you're actually a ranked opponent—
No, you're the world champion I have to beat in the boxing ring of love.
But I'll let you know that I'm known as the Narita of the Boxing Team,
I hereby challenge you for Aoba Tsukishima!
In other words, the defending title in the world championship of love!
Now, fight me!
Do you want to box?
Or maybe Judo?
I don't mind a cooking competition if you want.
Well, I...
I thought in the world of boxing
you have to have an impressive enough track record
before you can actually be nominated to challenge the world champion?
Who's this little kid?
She's my little sister.
Tsukishima's little sister?!
She's family...
in other words, she's the commissioner who takes care of the championship belt.
Who is this guy?
Don't ask me.
And rightly so, you'll have to first compete in a Contender's Match
if you want to fight against Ko.
A Contender's Match?!
I'll do it!
I'll compete against anyone!
In that case.
1 2 3 4...
Why am I here?
All right, the rules are, whoever gets worn out first loses;
you need stamina to survive in the game of love, after all.
All right, I'll win this for sure!
Nothing personal,
but I'm going to be the one who'll be running up the champion road of love!
Um, I really don't get what's going on here.
On your mark!
Ready...
Go!
Do I have to swim, too?
Well, the only thing I said was that whoever wears himself out loses.
Tsukishima!
I'm going to do this, Tsukishima!
Thanks for the drink.
I'm not buying it for you.
I'll collect from you later.
And the bus fare, too.
Sure, sure.
We used to come to this pool a lot, huh?
The three of us.
Over here, guys!
A love letter, huh?
Now that I think about it, I've never gotten one of these.
How pathetic.
You got that right.
Ko!
Hey!
Huh?
What happened with the competition over there?
It was settled pretty easily.
Why do I have to do this?
So let's swim, Ko!
Sure, I did come all the way out here.
Hey.
What do you think Wakaba saw in me?
That's what I'd like to know.
Right?
Look, Aoba!
The light reflecting on the water makes it look like they're jewels!
Look!
It's so bright, isn't it, Aoba?
Hey, Kitamura!
Hear me out!
You won't believe what I had to do!
Hey, Kitamura!
Hey, where are you?
We're playing against the first-string?
That's right.
And whichever coach loses has to resign?
That's right.
If we lose, the prefab team will be no more?
That's right.
There's no way you guys could win!
If only we had someone with a strong shoulder who could take center field...
Huh?
What?
Eh?
Next time, on Cross Game Episode Fifteen:
Enjoy it more.
We can win!
...I think